22Synonyms found for resting

Word Origin & History

rest "sleep," O.E. ræste, reste "rest, bed, intermission of labor, mental peace," from P.Gmc. *rastjo, *rasto. Original sense seems to be a measure of distance (cf. O.H.G. rasta "league of miles," O.N. rost "league, distance after which one rests," Gothic rasta "mile, stage of a journey"), perhaps a word from the nomadic period. The meaning "support, thing upon which something rests" is attested from 1590. The verb is O.E. ræstan, restan "to rest." At rest "dead" is from 1338. Rest room first attested 1899; rest stop is from 1973. Rested "refreshed by sleep" is attested from c.1400. ...Phrase rest you merry is from 1548 (God rest you merry, gentlemen, often is mis-punctuated). Colloquial expression to give (something) a rest "to stop talking about it" is first recorded 1927, Amer.Eng.